Radio frequency identification (RFID) devices are known and typically utilized to associate information with an object (e.g., a retail product). One challenge associated with RFID devices (e.g., RFID tags, RFID labels, RFID chips, RFID straps, or RFID inlays) is the manufacture and testing of the RFID devices in a cost-efficient manner.
For example, a conventional method of testing RFID devices during the manufacturing process involves bi-directional communication with each of the RFID devices at one or more defined frequencies and radio frequency power levels. However, the conventional bi-directional communication typically employs a specialized RFID reader that is expensive and may not be optimized for rapid testing.
Furthermore, because the RFID reader is expensive, the number of RFID readers is typically limited and utilized sparingly to serially test the RFID devices, with each of the RFID devices sequentially positioned into test position or the RFID reader sequentially moved from one RFID device to the next in a designated test area. Thus, the testing process may be limited in terms of the number of RFID devices that can be tested in a cost effective manner.
Additionally, any device that incorporates an RFID reader, such as for example a printer that prints on RFID labels, may have a significant increase in price due to the cost of the RFID reader. Consequently, conventional RFID communication techniques may be limited in terms of cost and/or in the number of RFID devices that can be tested. As a result, there is a need for improved communication techniques for RFID devices.